The
Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychological Sciences program provides advanced
training in psychological sciences. The program is designed for full-time
student scholars who wish to expand their knowledge of psychology by engaging
in advanced coursework, additional research training, and/or applied experience
in psychological sciences. The program also offers students the opportunity to
gain additional psychology training in preparation for applying to nationally
prominent doctoral programs in Clinical and Experimental Psychology. This
research-focused program requires students to work with a research mentor from
the beginning and to be actively involved in at least one research laboratory
throughout training. Students also have the opportunity to gain additional
applied experiences through the Internship Program in the School of Behavioral
and Brain Sciences. The Master of Psychological Sciences degree does not
provide clinical training or lead to licensure as a counselor or psychologist.

Facilities

The
principal sites for the academic, applied, and research activities of the
Masters Program in Psychological Sciences include faculty labs located on the
Richardson Campus and the Callier Center for Communication Disorders. Students
also will be exposed to research and applied experiences at vibrant centers
within the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences: the Center for Children and
Families, the Callier Center for Communication Disorders, the Center for BrainHealth, the joint Center for Brain Imaging with UT
Southwestern, and the Center for Vital Longevity. These centers provide access
to brain imaging laboratories and speech, hearing, and language laboratories.

The application deadline is February 15th each
year.Applicants are selected once
a year to begin the program in the fall semester.

Admission
to the Master of Science Program in Psychological Sciences is based on a review
of the applicant’s GPA, three letters of recommendation, and narrative
description of interests and career goals. Both GRE math and verbal scores are
required to be considered for admission.

The
M.S. in Psychological Sciences curriculum is designed to offer opportunities
for specialization in a chosen core field, breadth of training, selection of
electives that serve students’ individual goals, and research experience.
Each student will be assigned to a research mentor at the start of the program
and will maintain involvement in a research laboratory throughout the two-year
program. Students will also have the opportunity to gain applied experience by
participating in the internship program offered by the School of Behavioral and
Brain Sciences.

All students in the program are required to regularly review
their degree plans with their research mentor. The program requires a minimum
of 36 credit hours distributed as follows. Students are required to complete 6
credit hours of major field core courses (two selected from one of the
following fields: Developmental, Cognitive, Social and Personality,
Neuroscience), 6 credit hours of additional core courses (two courses from a
different area than the major core), 6 credit hours of Research Methods (a two
course sequence in statistics and research methods), 12 credit hours of
approved advanced elective courses, and 6 credit hours of Independent Study/ Research .

Students are encouraged to use the summer between the first and
the second year to get applied internship experience.Students interested in summer applied
internships can find placements through the currently existing School of
Behavioral and Brain Sciences internship program for undergraduates.

Required Core Courses (18 hours)

Major
Field Core Courses (12 SCH minimum). Students will declare a
major in one of these areas and take two courses from the major area and two
courses from a different area than the major core.

1. Developmental Psychology

PSYC 6350 Social Development

PSYC 6331 Cognitive Development

PSYC 6368 Language Development

2.
Cognition

PSYC 6330 Cognitive Science

PSYC 6395 Cognitive Psychology

PSYC 6333 Memory

3. Social/Personality Psychology

PSYC 6376 Social Psychology

PSYC 6327 Personality

4. Neuroscience

PSYC 6346 Systems Neuroscience

PSYC 6344 Functional Human Neuroanatomy

Research
Methods (6 SCH minimum)

Students will complete two 3-hour
courses in research methods and design that are approved by the program
head and faculty coordinator.

Research Methods I

•PSYC 6312 Research Methods in HCS – Part I

Research Methods II

•PSYC 6313 Research Methods in HCS – Part II

Advanced
Electives (12 SCH minimum)

Students will elect 4 courses from masters and doctoral
offerings. Any core course (listed above) may count as an advanced elective,
though it cannot count both as a core course and as an elective.

As an elective course, interested students may participate in a
Teaching Internship.Teaching
internships will be arranged by the Program Head in consultation with the
teaching faculty.Teaching
internships will be for course credit and not for pay.

Independent
Study/Research (6 SCH)

Students will complete a Research Project fulfill this
requirement. The research requirement will be fulfilled by completion of a
focused research project to be submitted and presented in poster format.